Applying best European practices of engaging employers in training future professionals in Russian higher educational institutions

Currently, cooperation between business community and higher education institutions is a priority trend of the Russian higher education system. We consider the European practices of cooperation between universities and potential employers which is being implemented in the Russian HEIs within the project “Evaluation of Quality of Cooperation in Education Ecosystem as a Mechanism for Building Professional Competencies - E3M” approved for funding within the European Commission Tempus IV in 2013. The paper dwells upon the state of cooperation between Nizhnevartovsk State University and local business community, considering new market conditions, and offers solutions to the challenges of productive cooperation with potential employers with the view of the best practices implemented by European partner universities and project consortium members. Keywords: cooperation, quality of education, employers, university